Bollywood’s most candid filmmaker has done it again. Farah Khan, the celebrated choreographer-director known for never mincing her words, has opened up about her difficult early experiences working with Akshaye Khanna — and the story of how her entire perception of him changed is as honest as it gets.
The Farah Khan–Akshaye Khanna Story — Key Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Who Said It | Farah Khan (director, choreographer) |
| About Whom | Akshaye Khanna |
| Platform | Interview with Ranveer Allahbadia |
| Time Period Referenced | 1990s — early career of both |
| Turning Point | Dil Chahta Hai (2001) |
| Reason for Behaviour (shared) | Khanna’s struggle with hair loss |
| Akshaye’s Current Project | Dhurandhar: The Revenge (cameo) |
😤 What Farah Khan Actually Said
While talking to Ranveer Allahbadia, Farah Khan stated that she was “traumatised” after working on a couple of projects with Akshaye Khanna in the 90s. She described him as introverted but not a nice person on set.
According to Farah, Khanna used to throw things on set and would question dialogues openly. She also revealed that wherever she learned Khanna was part of a project, she used to avoid being part of it by lying that she didn’t have the dates.
The reasons? Farah revealed that during that period, Khanna said he was struggling with hair loss, which she felt could have been a reason for his constantly irritable temperament on set. It’s a rare, deeply human explanation that puts the difficult behaviour in a more understandable context.
The Film That Changed Everything — Dil Chahta Hai
Here’s where the story takes a genuinely heartwarming turn. Despite her reluctance, Farah couldn’t turn down Farhan Akhtar’s directorial debut — and working on Dil Chahta Hai completely rewrote her opinion of Akshaye Khanna.
Even though she was avoiding Khanna, she couldn’t say no to Farhan Akhtar’s directorial debut film. By that time, she thought Khanna had completely changed and reconciled with his hair. She felt the actor had become very chill and noted that after Dil Chahta Hai, something changed.
She also praised him as a brilliant dancer — noting he was better than Aamir Khan and Saif Ali Khan in the song Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe from Dil Chahta Hai. From someone she used to actively avoid, to someone she now praises as a dancer above two of Bollywood’s biggest stars — that’s quite the redemption arc.
🎥 Akshaye Khanna’s Remarkable 2025–26 Run
2025 proved to be a promising year for Akshaye Khanna. The actor made a mega comeback with Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava, followed by Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar. Both films were massive commercial successes, and Khanna’s performances in both were widely applauded by critics and audiences.
Akshaye will again be seen in Dhurandhar: The Revenge, though his role will be limited to only a couple of flashback scenes. Indian Super League Even in a cameo, his screen presence continues to be a talking point — which is the mark of an actor who has truly evolved.
The transformation Farah Khan describes is visible on screen too — the intense, difficult young actor of the 90s has become one of Bollywood’s most respected and reliable performers, commanding praise with every appearance regardless of the film’s scale.
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